


Locked Doors

by ArchangelEquinox



Series: Once More to the Breach [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullen Rutherford Fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Skyhold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 22:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7072435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchangelEquinox/pseuds/ArchangelEquinox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Inquisitor goes to visit Cullen one evening, she finds that he has a cold... and it's making him a bit delirious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Locked Doors

            Every single door to Cullen's tower was locked. 

            The entrance from the breezeway had been locked when she'd tried to cut through his office earlier that afternoon.  Nothing in particular for them to discuss, but Talia needed a way to see Cole that didn't involve braving the tavern, and through Cullen's tower had been the best option.  No such luck. 

            The other side, the one close to Cole's hide-out, had been locked too as she'd made her way back.  A frustrated noise worthy of Cassandra had left her then, knowing she'd have to hike down all those stairs and wade through the courtyard and Great Hall to get back to the library.  It struck her as a little odd that Cullen's office wasn't open from the battlements -- the guards' patrol went right through it, after all -- but she was sure the Commander was busy with meetings. 

            It was the thought of Cullen forgetting to eat that encouraged Talia to visit his office as evening approached.  She didn't very often since the start of their relationship -- more waved hello or stole a kiss as she passed through so she didn’t crowd his space -- but today was a day for exceptions. 

            The only door she hadn't yet tried was accessible from the lower courtyard, so the kitchen was an easy stop. Cook loaded down a tray with bread, cheese, and crisp apples as well as a steaming kettle of tea before sending Talia on her way, giving her a dirty look that the Inquisitor knew she didn't mean.  She kept the tray balanced carefully as she climbed the long stone staircase to the battlements until finally, she arrived at the final door to Cullen's tower.

            It too was locked. 

            Talia stared at it for a moment before knocking.  She could hear the sound echo through the office beyond, but there was no response.  After a moment, she knocked again.  Still nothing. 

            Frustrated now, and with mounting concern, Talia placed the tray on the stone beside the door and tried the handle again, this time throwing all her weight behind it.  The massive wooden thing didn't budge. 

            "Commander?"  She called, one ear pressed against the door.  No reply. 

            "Hey Cullen, you in there?"  A little louder this time, but she still got no response.  She stepped back from the door, eyeing the masonry of the tower as she wondered what was going on.  If it came down to it, she could climb the tower and drop in through the hole in his roof -- like the time she and Sera had pranked him -- but the sun was setting now, and she didn't want to make a climb like that in the dark.  If she was willing to take the long way, she could go find Bull; she was willing to bet the qunari could force the door open if she asked.  As she pondered the return walk to the lower courtyard (and the path up to the training yard, into the tavern, and eventually, up the stairs again), Talia suddenly lighted on the lockpick tools on her belt. 

            Perfect.  She fumbled with the pouch for a moment, trying to find the bigger of her two torsion wrenches and the warded pick she'd need for the giant, ancient lock on the door.  In theory, she could just hike over to Leliana and ask for the extra skeleton key to the Commander's office; the Spymaster kept an enormous ring with a copy of every key in Skyhold on it, just in case.  Walking, however, was prohibitive at this point, as was involving Leliana in whatever was happening here. 

            Talia was pleased to find that Cullen's tower office was reasonably safe; it took her several long minutes of playing around with the pins before she could get them to slide into place, and she was positive her skill outranked anyone's in the fortress (except perhaps the Spymaster's).  The lock had just clicked open when she heard a groan from inside the office, and froze. 

            "Cullen?" 

            "Don't come in," a rough voice said, low and weak. 

            Well.  With an invitation like that, she didn't have a choice.  She opened the door a crack, peeking in and spotting Cullen at his desk almost immediately.  What was all the fuss about? 

            She pushed the door open. 

            "Inquisitor!"  He burst out, shooting to his feet and smacking himself in the chest so hard he'd leave a bruise even through his armor.  Then, just as she stepped inside, he wavered and dropped, sitting back into the chair with a thump. 

            "Cullen!"  She ran over, grabbing at his shoulders to keep him upright.  "Maker, are you all right?"  With a little maneuvering, she got him to lean back so she could see his face. 

            She couldn't see much of it though. 

            His coat was pulled up over his ears, hiding most of his face in its furry collar.   He shrank back from her as she tried to tuck a hand under his chin and made an unhappy noise.  "Is it withdrawal?  I can go get Solas, or a potion or something…"  She trailed off, her eyes roving over his face.  The purple shadows of illness lingered there, but his face was flushed, not pale, and his eyes looked glassy.  Cautiously she put a hand to his forehead. 

            "I have a cold," he grumbled before she could pronounce the same.  "I'm fine, I just… just…"  He sneezed with surprising force, getting the handkerchief in his fist up just in time, and Talia jumped backward. 

            She clapped a hand to her mouth to silence her laughter as the Commander of the Inquisition performed the time-honored tradition of the sick: Inspecting the fresh contents of his hanky. 

            He definitely had a cold. 

            "Oh, Cully," she murmured.  "Let me go get you some tea."  The tray waited just outside his door where she'd left it, and quickly she gathered it up and took it inside.  She locked the door again, knowing he wouldn't want anyone else to see him like this, and busied herself making him a cup of tea. 

            He eyed the kettle the whole time as if it were about to leap off the tray and bite him. 

            "It won't hurt you, you know," she told him as she passed him the cup.  Cullen accepted it, lifting shaking hands to cradle the warmth to his lips. 

            "Says you," he muttered and she tried not to laugh again.

            "Have you been like this all day?  I couldn't find you earlier."  Pulling a knife from her belt, she started cutting one of the apples so he could eat something healthy. 

            "It was Jim who got me sick," he said in reply.  The absurdity of his accusation resonated with the Inquisitor;  she'd caught Jim with his pants around his ankles behind the stables earlier that day with one of the kitchen maids, and he definitely didn't have a cold. 

            "I doubt that," she chuckled, but Cullen was not to be deterred. 

            "It was!  He came in here yesterday sneezing on some report nonsense he was delivering, and now I've got it."  He slid down in his seat, pushing the collar of his coat nearly over his eyes. 

            Talia wiggled a piece of apple at him.  "Of course that's what happened," she conceded, rolling her eyes.  "Eat something?  I haven't seen you all day, and Cook said you didn't come by after lunch either, so you must be hungry." 

            "I'm not," he said, but he took the fruit anyway.  

            It took time, but gradually Talia got him to eat most of the apple and some cheese, enough that she was satisfied that he wouldn't waste away.  She knew Cassandra recommended that he eat even when he wasn't hungry to avoid triggering a migraine, and it was this that kept her going when Cullen whined that he didn't want to eat with every bite. 

            The same thing happened with the Commander's armor, though Talia was glad to see his face get less flushed with each unnecessary piece of equipment she removed.  He visibly relaxed when she maneuvered his breastplate off, and since he begged her to leave his coat on him, she managed to trade it for his boots and his gauntlets.  He did, however, snuggle himself back into the collar. 

            "I could get used to this," he muttered as he watched her unlace his boots with a smirk on his face. 

            "Are you sick or not, Commander?"  She asked with a sly look.    

            "I am, I swear," he said, coughing pitifully to emphasize it.   At least he seemed to be coming back to himself, she reasoned, and kept going. 

            When she tried to get his last bracer, he held it over his head, leaning away so she couldn't quite reach it.   "Cullen, come on," she laughed, and he smiled at her. 

            "You've fed me and undressed me, Inquisitor," he teased, that baritone sounding more and more like her Commander with each word.  "Are you telling me you've given up on this last piece of armor?" 

            She stood in front of him, hands on her hips.  "Will you behave if I give you a kiss?" 

            He wiggled his eyebrows at her.  "You can't know if your negotiations are successful unless you try." 

            "I'll be sure to tell Josephine your price," she teased, but she bent and kissed him gently all the same.  He leaned into her, the kiss warm, and as soon as he was thoroughly distracted, Talia snatched the bracer from his grip.  "Mine now," she laughed, dancing out of his reach. 

            He slouched down in his chair, grumbling, "Yours my arse," and surreptitiously wiped his nose on his coat. 

            "Don't be gross," she said, a smile on her face.  Despite his flirting -- which she was positive was brought on by fever -- she was pretty sure he couldn't get up that ladder, and it was too late for her to walk him over to her quarters.  She studied the room, wondering where he was going to sleep, and found an answer.  Quickly she shoved some piles of books and lumber out of the way, clearing a reasonable space in the middle of his office. 

            "Stay there," she ordered when he stood.  "I'll be right back."  She hurried up the ladder and picked up every blanket and pillow she could find, throwing them over the edge to the office below.  Even the neatly folded comforter, which he clearly hadn't touched in months, went over. 

            When she climbed back down, she found Cullen sitting on the middle of the office floor, at least one blanket draped over his head and a pillow on his lap.  The blanket fluttered each time he coughed.  "I was waiting for you," he said when her feet hit the ground, and once again, the Inquisitor had no choice but to laugh. 

            "Can you help me?"  She grabbed the comforter to create a make-shift bed on the floor.  Cullen watched her struggle with it before he scooted out of the way and straightened the corners. 

            As soon as it was spread though, he crawled right onto it and lay down. 

            Talia stared at him for a moment.  He was spread-eagle, his face mashed straight into the floor, but she was fairly certain he was asleep already.   "You all right like that?" 

            He nodded, jostling the blankets. 

            "You're still in your coat." 

            The Commander nodded again. 

            She shrugged.  "Have it your way."  After arranging a few of the blankets into something relatively comfortable, she shrugged off her outer shirt and undid her boots.  The candles of his office were mostly burned down, but she grabbed one anyway, blowing the others out and using it to guide her back to their make-shift bed.  Setting it down, she sat and unlaced her boots. 

            When she finally lay back, she found Cullen watching her.  "Are you staying the night?"  He asked shyly, walking his hand toward her, and she caught him, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. 

            "Is that okay?  You clearly aren't well yet."  She passed him a pillow before draping a blanket over him, and he smiled at her. 

            "Maybe this was my plan all along," he suggested, and she elbowed him, albeit gently. 

            "There are easier ways to get me into your bed."  As she leaned over to blow out the candle, he rolled to one side and caught her, pulling her back against his chest. 

            "Thank you for taking care of me," he said softly into her hair. 

            "Always," she said, finding his hand in the dark and squeezing it.  He squeezed back before coughing again, and Talia tried not to cringe -- he was still aimed at her hair. 

            "Sorry," he mumbled, voice thick.  He wiggled closer.  "Now stop distracting me and let me sleep." 

            "Yes ser, Commander," she replied.  She relaxed against him, feeling his warmth seep through her tank top, and listened to his breathing deepen with sleep.  "Good night, love," she murmured when she was sure he was out. 

            She never felt the way his lips curved into a smile against her skin as she too fell asleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!


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